Tractate Kritut Highlights

Daf 2: There are 36 crimes that are punishable by Kritut (“cutting off”). They include a long list of sexual and incestual relationships, one who curses God, worships idols, desecrates the Sabbath, desecrates the Temple, eats forbidden parts of the Temple sacrifice, eats leaven on Passover, eats and does work on Yom Kippur, replicates the oil or incense of the Temple, and one who does eat from the Passover sacrifice or performs circumcision. If any of the above is done purposely they are punishable by Karet (“cutting off”). If it is done inadvertently, they are required to bring a sin-offering.

Daf 3: Bowing is considered an act (and punishable).

Daf 4: Rava: 5 prohibitions involving blood: the blood of an unconsecrated animal, the blood of a consecrated animal, the blood of slaughter that needs to be covered, the blood from the limbs, and the blood that spurts immediately after slaughter.

Daf 5: It is prohibited to recreate the anointing oil. If someone does so for educational purposes or to give to the public, he is not held accountable. If he does so to anoint himself, he is.

Daf 6: Any fast that does not include sinners of Israel, is not a fast, for the “chelbenah” has a foul order, yet Scripture included it in the ingredients of the incense.

Daf 7: Rebbi says: Yom Kippur atones for all sins, whether one repents or not except for: one who removes the yoke of Torah from himself, one who embarrasses the Torah, or hides his circumcision – even he repents for these, Yom Kippur atones, but if not, Yom Kippur does not atone.

Daf 8: Event: Birds for sacrifice were selling for a gold Dinar (25 silver Dinarim – an exorbitant amount). R’ Shimon ben Gamliel swore that he would make the price drop to a single silver Dinar that day. He entered the study hall and expanded that a woman with 5 births or 5 Zivas (both requiring bird sacrifices) can bring only 1 bird, is exempt from the rest and is permitted to eat from consecrated meat. That day the price of birds dropped to a quarter of a silver Dinar.

1st Perek Summary: “Shloshim Ve’shesh”: List of 36 “Kritut”, half are for illicit relations and the remaining ones include desecration of God’s name, of Holidays and the Temple. Inadvertent infractions require a sin-offering, questionable infractions require an Asham-offering. However, sacrifices are only brought for sins that involve an “action”.

For Sabbath and Idol worship sins, if a person forgot that a particular act is forbidden, he is liable and must bring a sacrifice for each category of act that was violated. If he forgot it was the Sabbath or Idol worship, he only brings one sacrifice, even for multiple acts.

Daf 9: Rebbi says: Just like your forefathers entered the Covenant by circumcision, ritual immersion and blood, so to a convert may only enter the Covenant by circumcision, ritual immersion and blood.

Daf 10: It is possible for a woman to give birth without any blood emerging.

2nd Perek Summary: “Arba’ah Mechusrei Kaparah”: List of those who are lacking in “atonement” and require a sacrifice to permit them to eat consecrated meat: Zav, Zavah, a woman who give birth, and a Metzora. A Nazarite brings a sacrifice to allow him to drink wine and contaminate himself with the dead. A proselyte is not considered “lacking in atonement” but rather just as the Children of Israel entered the Covenant of God with circumcision, ritual immersion and blood of the sacrifice, so too, the proselyte requires the same. When the Temple is not standing, circumcision and ritual immersion are sufficient.

Daf 11: If one witness testifies that a person ate from forbidden fat and the accused states that he did not, he is held unaccountable.

Daf 12: A person is believed to testify about himself (regarding sins that he can achieve atonement for) more than one hundred others.

Daf 13: A pregnant woman is allowed to eat less than the “portion” that one is liable for on Yom Kippur, due to danger to the fetus.

Daf 14: If a person transgressed a sin that is punishable by two different death-sentences, he is punished with the more severe one.

Daf 15: If a man has intercourse with his ritually unclean wives without realizing it is forbidden, he is liable for each time.

Daf 16: If the following five items of an Olah-offering were sacrificed inappropriately (offered outside the Temple) and their combined volume adds up to the volume of a Kzayit, then the person is liable: meat, fat, wine, grain and oil.